Disposable portable fireproof ash cup and extinguisher



June 1957 L. A. MCUTCHEON ETAL 2,796,057

DISPOSABLE PORTABLE FIREPROOF ASH CUP AND EXTINGUISHER Filed Sept. 17, 1954 United States Patent 2,796,067 DISPOSABLE PORTABLE FIREPROOF ASH CUP AND EXTINGUISHER Lulu A. McCutcheon, Fargo, N. Dak., and Frederick H.

McCutcheon, Media, Pa.; said Frederick H. McCutcheon assignor to said Lulu A. McCutcheon Application September 17, 1954, Serial No. 456,315 1 Claim. (Cl. ISL-256) This invention relates to ash-receiving receptacles, and more specifically relates to a portable ash cup and extinguisher.

Situations frequently arise for smokers where they cannot dispose of their ashes and lighted cigarettes. Such is the case especially at conventions, receptions and other large gatherings of people Where it is extremely difficult to provide ash receptacles of the usual type for every person. If no receptacles are provided, ashes and lighted cigarettes will be dropped onto the floor surface which causes, at the very least, a very unsightly appearance, and may cause substantial damage to the floor. This is so especially where the floor is covered by a material which will burn when subjected to intensive heat as from lighted cigarettes.

It is an object of our invention to provide a simple and extremely inexpensive portable and disposable ash cup which may be made of a single piece of material and may be compactly carried in a persons pocket for his personal use 'or may be provided for a large number of guests at public gatherings.

It is another object of our invention to provide a collapsible and reuseable portable ash cup which may safely receive and contain lighted ashes and cigar and cigarette butts and which will confine the same therein.

It is a further object of our invention to provide a new and improved fire-resistant ash cup and extinguisher which will confine a lighted cigarette inserted therein and extinguish the same by substantially precluding the flow of air to the cigarette by closing the opening of such a cup.

It is a still further object of our invention to provide a novel cigarette ash retainer which may be conveniently and efficiently transformed into a substantially enclosed cigarette containing an extinguishing chamber by constricting a portion 'of the retainer.

These and other objects and advantages of our invention will more fully appear from the following description, made in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters refer to the same parts throughout the several views and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of our invention shown as it is to be used;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of our invention;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of our invention; and

Figure 4 shows the shape of a piece of flat material from which our invention may be constructed.

In the embodiment of our invention shown in Figures 1 and 2, we provide a cup or receptacle which is substantially conically shaped and made of a single piece of fire-resistant material which may be flexible. The receptacle 10 has a peripheral wall 11 which has an enlarged upper portion 12 and a diminished lower or bottom portion 13. The peripheral wall 11 defines an interior chamber having a substantially enlarged upper mouth portion adjacent to the upper portion 12 of the wall and having a confined and restricted portion adjacent to the bottom portion 13 of the wall. The peripheral upper portion 12 of the wall may be collapsed and constricted toward the axis of the conical cup 10 to provide for closing of the interior chamber of the cup 10 and to substantially preclude passage of air into the enclosed interior chamber.

We also provide a gripping member or means such as ice a handle 14 which is aflixed to the exterior of the upper peripheral portion 12 of the cup 10 and which may extend transversely of or parallel to the axis of the cup 10. The handle 14 may be made of the same material as is the cup 10 and may be formed integrally therewith. In the form shown the annular handle 14 extends upwardly from the upper peripheral portion 12 of the wall 11 and is shiftable to extend downwardly therefrom for convenient storage of the cup. In use, the handle 14 will be slipped over a persons finger and the cup will be held in upright position adjacent the palm of the hand for receiving cigarette ashes. Therefore, this cup is conveniently portable to be carried by a person as he moves about in a crowd.

When a cigarette is to be extinguished, it may be inserted into the cup with the lighted end thereof being positioned in the confined portion of the chamber adjacent to the bottom of the cup, whereupon the burning cigarette will be extinguished because of lack of air and because the cigarette will effectively obstruct the restricted chamber to preclude more air from being supplied to the burning tip of the cigarette. A hole will not be burned in the cup by the cigarette because the cup is made of fire-resistant material. The upper portion of the cup may be shifted inwardly thereof to substantially enclose the entire interior chamber so as to preclude air from entering therein and positively preclude air from being supplied to the burning tip of the cigarette. The cigarette -will thereupon be extinguished and will be positively retained therein. After the cup has been used, it may be disposed of because it is extremely inexpensive.

It will be seen that we have provided a simple and extremely inexpensive portable and disposable ash cup which may be compactly carried in a persons pocket for his personal use or may be provided for a large number of guests at public gatherings. The cup may be made of plentiful and mass production materials and in a minimum of operations.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the parts without departing from the scope of our invention.

What we claim is:

A portable and disposable cigarette ash cup comprising a collapsible receptacle made of pliable fire-resistant sheet material and defining an interior chamber having a closeable upper mouth portion for sealing the interior chamber, said receptacle being conically shaped to facilitate ready and easy carrying thereof in a persons hand and to define a diminished and confining bottom portion adapted to receive a lighted cigarette and extinguish the same by limiting air supply therefor, an annular handle formed integrally of the upper edge of the receptacle and being foldable at the edge downwardly to overlie the outer side with the conical receptacle and within the exterior dimensional limits thereof to facilitate easy and ready dispensing of the ash cup, said handle being adapted to receive a finger therethrough and thereby preclude sub stantial heat conduction to the persons hand.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Germany Jan. 26, 1922 

